The Beatles: Backstage at "The Ed Sullivan Show"

A Really Big Show

The Beatles with host
Ed Sullivan on the set of "The Ed Sullivan Show" on February 9, 1964.

The Fab Four's first
live appearance on U.S. television - a landmark in the British Invasion of
1960s pop music - drew more than 70 million viewers, the largest TV
audience ever for an entertainment program up to that time.

By CBSNews.com senior
producer David Morgan

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Paul McCartney and Ed Sullivan

Paul McCartney of The
Beatles is seen backstage before the group's appearance on "The Ed
Sullivan Show," February 9, 1964.

Originally titled
"Toast of the Town," "The Ed Sullivan Show" went on the air
in 1948 and ran on CBS through 1971.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Toast of the Town

Sullivan, a New York
newspaper columnist, was a starmaker, providing a nationwide audience for
countless musical, comedy and variety acts for 23 seasons.

Over the years his weekly variety program showcased
such major musical acts as Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Ella Fitzgerald, the Beach Boys, Ray Charles, the Doors, Herman's Hermits, Janis Joplin, the Jackson 5, Creedance Clearwater Revival, and the Rolling
Stones.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Shutterbug

Paul McCartney, like the other Beatles, brought his own camera on what was the group's first trip to New York City.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Rehearsal

With George Harrison back at the Plaza Hotel
recovering from a cold, The Beatles rehearsed for their first appearance on
"The Ed Sullivan Show" with Neil Aspinall standing in for
Harrison.

Aspinall, a road manager and driver for The Beatles, would later
head their firm, Apple Corps.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Marquee

The marquee of CBS'
Studio 50 on Broadway and 53rd Street in New York.

Sharing billing with The Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on February 9, 1964 were
Broadway star Georgia Brown and the child cast of "Oliver!", singer
Tessie O'Shea, impressionist Frank Gorshin, the comedy team McCall & Brill,
magician Fred Kaps, and the acrobatic group Well & the Four Fays.

Whitehall
Laboratories and Pillsbury were two of the show's sponsors.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Backstage

Ed Sullivan is seen with Paul McCartney of The Beatles during
rehearsals on February 9, 1964, at CBS' Studio 50
in New York City.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Mop Tops

The Beatles, with
show host Ed Sullivan and an unidentified hair dresser, prepare for their first
live U.S. TV performance.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

The Fab Four

The Beatles rehearse for their first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," Sunday, February 9, 1964. From left: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and John Lennon.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

George Harrison and John Lennon

George
Harrison and John Lennon of The Beatles performing at CBS's Studio 50 in New
York City, on Sunday, February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Backstage

The Beatles take a break during rehearsals for "The Ed Sullivan Show," Sunday, February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Dress Rehearsals

The Beatles perform during dress rehearsals on the stage of "The Ed Sullivan Show," Sunday, February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

"Twist & Shout"

During dress rehearsals, The Beatles recorded several songs - with different set dressings - to be broadcast on
"The Ed Sullivan Show" on Feb. 23, 1964. The group performed
"Twist & Shout," "Please Please Me," "and "I
Want to Hold Your Hand."

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

George Harrison

George Harrison of The Beatles.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Break

John Lennon during a rehearsal break at CBS' Studio 50.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

It's For My Daughter

An unidentified man gets a Beatle's autograph on the stage of "The Ed Sullivan Show."

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

On Stage

A view from the stage
of "The Ed Sullivan Show," featuring The Beatles, Sunday, February 9, 1964, in New York City.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

The Fab Four

From left: Ringo
Starr, Paul McCartney, host Ed Sullivan, George Harrison and John Lennon on the
stage of "The Ed Sullivan Show," Sunday, February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Backstage

Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr of The Beatles are seen backstage before the group's first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Guest Stars

Backstage at CBS's
Studio 50 in New York City, The Beatles pose with fellow "Ed Sullivan
Show" guest, singer Georgia Brown, who would performs songs from the
Broadway musical, "Oliver!"

Also among the musical's cast members was
young Davy Jones, a future member of the Monkees.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

TelePrompter

Host Ed Sullivan
reviews his TelePrompter notes on the stage of
"The Ed Sullivan Show," February 98, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

The Fab Four

The Beatles' first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," Sunday, February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

"All My Loving"

The Beatles performed
five songs during their first "Ed Sullivan" appearance on February 9, 1964.

In the first half of the show they sang "All My Loving," "Till
There Was You," and "She Loves You."

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Paul McCartney and George Harrison

Paul McCartney and George Harrison on "The Ed Sullivan Show," Sunday, February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Ringo Starr

Drummer Ringo Starr of The Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show," February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Control Room

A view from the control room of
"The Ed Sullivan Show," Sunday, February 9, 1964.

During dress rehearsals The Beatles surprised the studio
crew by requesting playback of their performance and adjusting microphone
levels, marking the control board dials with chalk. After returning from break,
the group discovered maintenance staff had cleaned all the chalk marks off the
control board.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Beatlemania

Audience members respond to The Beatles' first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," at CBS' Studio 50, Sunday, February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Beatlemania

For the slightly more than 700 seats at Studio 50, the show received
50,000 applications for tickets.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

John Lennon

John Lennon of The Beatles.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Fans

Fans of The Beatles at "The Ed Sullivan Show," February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Mop Top

Host Ed Sullivan gets in the spirit of the proceedings with a "Beatles wig."

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

"I Want to Hold Your Hand"

The Beatles perform
on stage at CBS' Studio 50, during the second half-hour of "The Ed
Sullivan Show," Feb. 9, 1964.

Their set included "I Saw Her Standing
There," and "I Want To Hold Your Hand."

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

The Fab Four

The Beatles on stage at "The Ed Sullivan Show," February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

That WAS a Really Big Show

The Beatles on stage at "The Ed Sullivan Show," Sunday, February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Paparazzi

The Beatles face photographers following their first U.S. TV performance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," Sunday, February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Smile

Host Ed Sullivan with The Beatles.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

Photographers

The press photographs the first wave of the British Invasion, as The Beatles make their bow on "The Ed Sullivan Show," Sunday, February 9, 1964.

Credit: CBS Photo Archives

American Debut

After
a show at the Coliseum in Washington, D.C., and two concerts at New York's
Carnegie Hall, The Beatles traveled to Miami for another appearance on "The
Ed Sullivan Show," broadcast live on Sunday, February 16, from the Deauville
Hotel. For these two live performances, and for the pre-recorded songs
broadcast on Feb. 23, The Beatles - conquerors of the American airwaves - were paid $10,000.